Aborah: "I'm Grateful To Ricardo"

13 November 2015

Sam Robinson

Stanley Aborah says he is enjoying his new life in English football after being rescued from a nightmare by Notts County.

The combative midfielder has settled well in League Two, but had previous experience of English football through a one-month spell with Gillingham in 2010, where he made just one appearance as a substitute against Bradford City.

That was not his first time on these shores, though, as the midfielder explained: "The move to Gillingham came through my former agent; he told me there was an opportunity to come to England and play.

"I had been to England before for a trial with Middlesbrough when they were in the Premier League. Unfortunately I picked up an injury after one day so I had to leave which was a shame because they spoke very highly of me.

"I was also meant to spend some time at Crystal Palace but that didn't go through for one reason or another.

"My agent told me to go to League Two with Gillingham because he thought I was too good for that level and I would be picked up by a Championship club after a month. But I got injured for a few weeks and didn't manage to get back in the team once I had recovered, which was a shame."

Injuries have been disruptive to his career and Aborah seems to be a man who intends on making up for lost time and making the most of his obvious talent. This, after all, is a player who was schooled at the Ajax academy, one of the best in world football.

However, football - and his love of the game - was taken away from him for a year following an ill-fated stint out in Kuwait.

"I played for a season in Kuwait after leaving Ferencvaros but I had a dispute with the club I played for after that season and then couldn't play for a year before joining Notts County," he revealed.

"It was very frustrating. So frustrating that I didn't even feel like watching football because it reminded me of what I was missing out on. Luckily, I have a very loving family who helped me because it was a very difficult time.

"I spent that year training hard because I was waiting for the moment that I could return to football. You need to be fit so I was training five times a week by myself trying to stay in shape."

His year in exile was ended when Notts boss Ricardo Moniz, who worked with Aborah at Hungarian side Ferencvaros, picked up the phone and offered him a lifeline in Nottingham.

"I'm very grateful to Ricardo for bringing me to Notts County," he said. "I know what he is like from our time together at Ferencvaros. He is a fantastic manager and when he called to ask me to come here I was very happy.

"Then the relegation happened and I was a bit uncertain about whether or not the move would happen but Ricardo convinced me about what he was trying to do at the club and the ambition."

Since joining the Magpies, the softly-spoken midfielder has become the lynchpin of the team and the metronome of the midfield, capping his impressive form with his first goal for Notts in the home game against Yeovil Town.

Nimble footwork 20 yards out drew a foul from a defender and the 28 year-old picked himself up to take the set-piece, which found the back of the net with a slight deflection off the wall.

"Obviously it's nice to score but it was even better that I scored my first goal here at Meadow Lane in front of the fans," said Aborah.

"I have had a lot of good feedback from them and you can see the passion that they have for the club. The way they talk about the club when they speak to you, you can tell that Notts County is in their hearts."

The supporters have clearly taken to the midfielder and he has quickly established himself as a firm favourite with the Meadow Lane faithful, something Aborah is most grateful for.

"That means a lot," he said. "When you can feel and see that the fans like you it gives you a boost and makes you want to give everything in every game for them."